Nicola Sturgeon s plans for Scottish independence were dealt a savage blow today as a new study revealed leaving the UK would damage the nation s economy more than Brexit - and rejoining the EU would make little difference.
The economic damage from leaving both unions would be the equivalent of an income loss of between £2,000 and £2,800 per person, according to an analysis of trade by the London School of Economics (LSE).
Academics from the LSE s Centre for Economic Performance say the economic costs of independence are two or three times greater than Brexit due to the volume of Scotland s trade with the rest of the UK.
Economic hit to Scotland from independence three times bigger than Brexit
Trade barriers with the rest of the UK would deal a hit to the Scottish economy far greater than Brexit, LSE report warns
3 February 2021 • 6:00am
An independent Scotland would face an economic blow up to three times bigger than Brexit and could not reverse the damage by rejoining the EU, a damning new report has revealed.
The hit to trade alone would slash Scottish income per capita by between 6.3pc and 8.7pc, equivalent to up to £2,800 per person, economists at the London School of Economics warned.
The report estimated that trade costs between Scotland and the rest of the UK could soar by up to 30pc as the SNP ramps up the pressure on Westminster for another independence referendum.